Restaurants in Littleton

The fiery scent of roasted chilies permeates the air at 3 Margaritas Mexican Restaurant, wafting through the dining room and melding with the smells of whole beans and the sharp, citrusy tang of cocktails made with more than 50 premium tequilas. As diners struggle to pick their palate pal from a sprawling dinner menu, they can sip on classic Mexican blended drinks whipped up from Cointreau, lime juice, and spirits such as El Mayor Reserve. When food platters arrive, diners find that flames and a generous pat of butter have transformed humble skirt steak into classic carne asada, or that chicken breasts have found a marriageable partner in mole sauces with hints of poblano peppers, pumpkin seeds, or peanut butter. A children’s menu welcomes pintsize diners with kiddie friendly finger foods including taquitos, banana burritos, and classic American fare such as burgers and grilled cheeses.

Celebrating seven years of service and flaunting freshly painted walls, Saigon Landing Restaurant reopened last year in Greenwood Village with its menu of fresh, heart-healthy Vietnamese cuisine intact. At both the Greenwood Village and Evergreen locations, an eclectic range of Eastern flavors abound, with lemongrass and curry anchoring plates piled with pork, chicken, seafood, or veggies. Outside, an American flag billows over a grassy border lined with vibrant foliage, fir trees, and a friendly giant tasked with blowing away approaching storm clouds.

Amid the lively Kinga’s Lounge, owner Kinga Klek regularly rolls up her sleeves and tends to the full bar and kitchen, working beside a family of staffers as they construct traditional Polish cuisine from scratch. The chefs turn fresh ingredients into authentic dishes, such as stews, schnitzels, and pierogis, while bartenders help diners navigate the staggering menu of Polish beers and vodkas.

Inside the lounge’s dining area, a full-wall mural interrupts a red-and-white color scheme as light from chandeliers dapples ornate wood furnishings. Leather armchairs cradle patrons upstairs, who can carry their merrymaking downstairs to Kinga’s Basement, an equally spirited watering hole where exposed-brick walls stand sentinel under arches and pillars. Festivities spill over to the outdoor patio, enclosed by verdant foliage and strings of lights that crisscross the al fresco space in a foolish attempt to make their way east to become one with the sun. A full schedule of events, including a live DJ on weekends and a comedy showcase on Sunday evenings, keeps revelers reveling.

Traditional and contemporary recipes reign at India's Kitchen, where chefs sheath chicken, lamb, seafood, and vegan entrees in a flurry of freshly ground exotic spices. They sizzle naan and kebabs in a tandoor clay oven and flood kormas and masalas with housemade yogurt, cream sauces, and coconut milk. Chefs can customize spiciness levels or swap in gluten-free ingredients for the handful of dishes that aren't already gluten-free, adeptly maintaining each dish's intricate flavors and inspirational coming-of-age story. An extensive daily lunch buffet lines up some of the kitchen's greatest hits for guests to sample, and the restaurant also extends its culinary services to the catering realm.

Cylindrical light fixtures dangle amid the dining room's vibrant red-orange walls, which contrast charcoal-hued floors and furnishings. A trickling faux rock fountain beckons patrons to venture to the full bar, where staffers sling Indian beers that harmonize with the aromas and flavors of the cuisine.

For more than 27 years, chefs at Rodney's have manned grills within the cozy basement eatery, unfurling a menu of steak-house cuisine headlined by tender slabs of aged, USDA-choice meats. Hearty hunks of sirloin, filet mignon, and slow-roasted prime rib sate appetites and tone wrists' abs alongside a colossal cheese- and bacon-swathed baked potato that the Denver Westword included among its 100 Favorite Dishes of 2010. In addition to its prized steaks, the neighborhood eatery's kitchen dispenses hefty sandwiches and elegant seafood, such as fresh Atlantic salmon and shrimp, and its full bar unleashes a spectrum of cocktails.

Hot dogs have gone gourmet. At The Hawt Dog and Sausage Eatery, chefs pair charbroiled hot dogs or sausages with a host of creative accompaniments—which include marinated tomatoes, chipotle beef chili, and Cajun shrimp jambalaya sauce—before swaddling each “hawt” in fresh dough and baking it to perfection. Each hawt begins with a high-quality base: the restaurant only slings all-natural, locally sourced sausages made without antibiotics and growth hormones or Hebrew National hot dogs forged from 100% kosher beef. Chefs accentuate these savory cylinders with dressings, sauces, chips, and tater “tawts”—all of which they make in-house to avoid running costly background checks on the ingredients. In the dining room, customers relax at a long counter lined with metal sheets and sip local craft beer as they peer into the exposed kitchen.